On 23 Apr, 06:35, Mwmbwls wrote:

http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/

http://www.itvlocal.com/london/mayor/?void=178830

The ever-assiduous Mr U Thant has a scoop in that Ken Livingstone when
being forced into a corner over the Stockwell shooting by the running
dogs of the ITV News clique, aided by Boris Wothisname and Hugh
Thingumi - the lickspittle jackals daring to stand against the great
leader as Mayor, disclosed that the extension of the ELL Phase 2 from
Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction has been authorised by the DfT. That
news was supposed to be a secret under the “We can’t tell what is
going on because there is an election about to happen regulations”.
This rare species should not be confused with the “We are not going to
tell you what is going on because there is an election going on.”
However, since nobody watches ITV these days – Ken’s breach of the
rules will probably not be noticed – until some babbling bloggermouth
comes along. Well done U.


I wouldn't say that Livingstone was being forced into a corner there
but that's another matter.

The relevant entry on Mr Thant's blog (and I believe I'm right in
saying that it's either Mr Thant or U Thant, not Mr U Thant which
would translate as Mr Mr Thant!) is he
http://londonconnections.blogspot.co...-junction.html


I'm pretty sure Mayor Ken's off-the-cuff comment accurately reflects
the fact that DfT/ central government have decided to fund ELLX phase
2 as 'enabling works' for the Thameslink Programme. In the comments
under the above blog entry I speculate as to whether the DfT had
basically already made this decision, having reviewed the draft South
London RUS, but were waiting for the final version to be published by
Network Rail, and thus whether there was ever perhaps some hope that
this could be officially announced before 18 March when the pre-
election 'purdah' rules kicked-in. In the event Network Rail published
the RUS on 31 March, which was two weeks too late for such an
announcement. Network Rail, of course, isn't really a political animal
- or perhaps that should read 'isn't a really political animal'.